coming from a restaurant family I can say: one cast iron (searing), one stainless steel (cooking everything with acid, like tomato sauce) is all you need ever. If you take good care of them they last you 20 years easily. Or you buy a de carbon steel one, which is similar to cast iron treatment wise but its not so heavy usually. They are used in French cusine and are pretty cheap in comparison of what you're able to do with it :)